Trial Underway in Frat Hazing Death

ITHACA (WENY) -- A bench trial is underway for a former Cornell fraternity and three of its members, after a pledge died in a hazing incident last year. Nineteen year old George Desdunes of Brooklyn died in February of 2011, after a night of drinking during an alleged hazing ritual by Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members. Max Haskin, Edward Williams and Ben Mann, along with the fraternity, are charged with Hazing and Unlawfully Dealing with a Child. The men are accused of "kidnapping" Desdunes and another student, and forcing them to drink alcohol. Desdunes passed out on the way back to the fraternity. He was carried into the house, and left on a couch, where a custodian found him unresponsive a couple hours later. He died February 25th at Cayuga Medical Center. Cornell University withdrew is recognition of the SAE chapter after the incident.